Storm-front for vehicles.



G. W. SCOTT. swam mom FOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED A Patented June 8,1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET Elma/M04 a. w. SCOTT. STORM FRONT FOR VEHICLES. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 3. 1911.

Patented June 8, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- THE NORRIS PETERS CO. PHOTO-LITHO.. WASHINGTON. D. (3:,

GEORGE V7. SCOTT, O1? TROY, OHIO.

STORM-FRONT FOR VEHICLES.

Application filed. March 3, 1911.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, GEORGE W. Soon, a citizen of the United States, residing at Troy, in the county of Miami and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Storm-Fronts for Vehicles, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in storm fronts for vehicles; and more particularly to a front of the type which is provided with side curtains mounted upon spring rollers.

The object of the invention is to provide a front which may be readily adjusted to the vehicle body, especially to those vehicle bodice in which the dash is extended at each end laterally beyond the vehicle body.

' In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is the rear view of my improved storm front shown attached to the body of the vehicle, the

body being shown in section. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of a portion of the same, some of the parts being broken away. Fig. 3 is a section upon the line XX of Fig. 2. Fig.4 is a side elevation of a vehicle body and top with my improved front shown applied thereto. Fig. 5 is a detail in section of one of the side wings. Fig. 6 is a detail view of the latch for the window shown in Fig. 1.

Like parts are represented by similar characters of reference in the several views.

In the said drawings, 1 represents a vehicle body of any well known construction, having at its forward end a dash 1 in the usual way. In the construction of some vehicle bodies it has been usual to extend the dash at each end for a distance beyond the sides of the body, as shown in the drawings, and when such is the case it is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to attach a storm front as commonly constructed without removing the dash. I have overcome this difficulty by the following construction:

2, 3 and 4 represent a frame such as is commonly used in the construction of storm fronts, the top part 2 of which stands in front of and conforms to the shape of the front bow of the vehicle top and the side standards 3 and 4 of which extend down in proximity to the dash of the vehicle body. As heretofore constructed it has been usual to clamp the side positions 3 and 4 in various manners to the vehicle body, but the extended dash now employed on some bodies prevents this for the reason that these side portions 2 and. 3 must be clamped to that Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 8, 1915.

Serial No. 612,123.

portion of the body adjacent the ends of the dash to permit the flexible fabric portion 5 of the front to extend down the front side of the dash, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4; this portion 5 being in the present case attached to a cross-bar 6 extending between and connected to the respective standards 3 and 4. To overcome this difficulty I have so constructed the frame that the parts 3 and 4 thereof at their lower ends will be separated a sufficient distance to embrace all widths of dashes, and, instead of clamping these portions 3 and 4 directly to the vehicle body, I have provided for attaching them in the manner now to be described.

Adjustably secured in recesses on the rear side near each end of asecond cross-bar 7 is a pair of standards 9 and 10, each of these standards being provided with a series of openings 11 to receive headed bolts 12 extended through the cross-bar 7, onto which are secured thumb-nuts 13 for the purpose of clamping the standards to the crossbar. The lower ends of these standards are provided with bent ends 14, which rest on the bottom of the vehicle body and may be secured thereto by screws, as shown in the drawings, although this is not absolutely necessary. Clamped to the front side of said cross-bar 7 by thumb-nuts 15 on the ends of bolts 16 is a pair of plates 17 and 18, said bolts extending through slotted plates 17 and 18, said bolts extending through slotted openings 19 in said plates so that the plates may be adjusted longitudinally of the cross-bar. Each of these plates has formed on its outer end a hook 20, which hooks engage the respective ends of the dash 1. By this construction it will be seen that the frame will be adj ustably supported from the vehicle bed by the standards 9 and 10 and will be held against lateral displacement by the hooked plates 17 and 18.

The side curtains 21 are mounted in the usual way upon spring rollers shown in Fig. 2 at 22. The upper trunnion 23 of each of these rollers is journaled in an car 24, which ears are attached, respectively, to the upper ends of the side portions 3 and 4 of the frame. The trunnions 25 at the lower ends of the respective rollers are journaled, respectively in the bent ends 26 of plates 27 and 28, the upper ends of which are formed on the arc of a circle; each of these platesbeing pivoted to the cross-bar 7, as shown at 29," and being adapted to be held in diflerent positions of adjustment by the thumb-nuts 15 on the bolts 16, which extend through slotted openings 30 in said plates tains may, by loosing the thumb-nuts 15, be

swung inwardly. against the sides of the vehicle body, immediately in the rear of the dash as shown in Fig. 1, so that when the curtains are distended, as shown in Fig. 4, they will lie close against the body of the vehicle at their lower ends; the trunnions 23 being ournaled somewhat loosely in the ears 24 to permit of this swinging movement. It will be further seen that the adjustment of the curtains issuch that they will be kept in the same relative position with respect to the dash at all positions of their adjustment, that is, they will be in comparatively closeproximity to the rear side of the dashthe direction of adjustment of the curtain being in a plane which is parallelto the plane of the dash.

To close the space between the frame parts 3 and 4 and the roller curtains 21 and to hide the curtains when rolled up, it is usual to provide wings secured to the upright portions of the frame as shown in Fig. 4. These wingsIare generally formed from material such as rubber cloth, reinforced with buckram or other suitable material, and as heretofore constructed they have been of a more or less yielding or flexible character which causes them to quickly lose their shape and to sag outwardly. To obviate this, I have provided a wing which will be secured to the frame in such a manner that the outer end thereofwill be braced. As shown in Fig. 5, I' have preferably provided two thicknesses of material 31 and 32 of rubber cloth, having a central filling 33, of buckram, or any other suitable material all stitched together. The front edge of the wing thus formed is secured to the side of the frame in the usual way by screws or otherwise, and in the present case the portions 31 and 32 are extended and doubled back upon the main wing portion for about one third the width thereof and stitched thereto, as shown at 31*. and 32, the free ends 31 and 32 of this extended portion being secured at or near the opposite side of the frame by screws or otherwise. By this construction it will be: seen that the extended portion will form an angularly-arranged brace and that the tendency of the wing to sag or get outof shape is greatly obviated. I j v 'Hinged to the upper frame part 2,is an inwardly opening door or window 35 provided in the usual way with a transparent sheet of material such as celluloid, this door or window being fitted between vertical bars 37 and 38, secured, respectively, to the crossbar 6 and upper frame portion 2. Buttons 39 located on the respective bars 37 and 38 at the lower end of the frame of the door serve to retain it in closed position. The particular improvement in connection with this door relates to the means for holding the same in open position. Pivoted to the upper portion of the door frame is a brace rod 40, having at its lower end a laterally bent hook-shaped portion 41; the extreme end of this rod being bent'into a circularshaped finger-piece 42. Secured to the vertical bar 38, and extending longitudinally of its length is a spring rod 43, this rod being so formed as to receive between it and the bar 38'the hook 41 of the brace rod, but adapted to exert a pressure on said hook so as to force'the same, when the door is opened I 7 to the vehicle body, side curtains carried by said frame, each of said side curtains com- I prising a roller journaled at the upper end of said frame, a plate on each side of said frame pivotally'connected therewith, each of said plates having a journal at its lower end for the lower end of its corresponding roller and a slotted opening, and means for ad usting said plate to swing its journal lat-' erally in a direction parallel with the plane of said frameand to a point within said frame, and a clamp extending through said slotted opening and through said frame for securing said plate in different positions of adjustment.

2. In a storm front for vehicles, the combination, with a vehicle body having a dash, of a frame of greater width than said dash, adjustable standards for supporting said frame from said body, plates having engaging portions thereonfor the ends of said dash, side curtains journaled at the upper end of said frame, journals for said curtains at the lower end'of saidframe, each of said lower journals comprising a plate pivoted to said frame; a portion of each of said plates 7 being formed on the arc of acircle having a clamp extending through the slotted opening of said dash-engaging plate and also through the slotted opening of said journalplate for the purpose of adjustably securing said plates in position.

3. In a storm front for vehicles, the combination, with a vehicle body, of a frame, together with means for securing the same to said vehicle body, a side curtain, and a support for said side curtain pivoted to said frame near the lower end thereof whereby said curtain may be adjusted laterally with respect to said frame in a straight line parallel with the same and to a point within said frame.

4. In a storm front for vehicles, the combination, with a vehicle body, of a frame, together with means for securing the same to said vehicle body, an immovable wing secured to the side of said frame and projecting rearwardly therefrom, a side curtain, and a support at the lower end of said curtain pivotally connected to said frame inside of said wing whereby said curtain may be adjusted laterally with respect to said frame in a position to lie parallel with said wing and also in a straight line parallel with the plane of said frame and to a point within said frame.

5. In a'storm front for vehicles, the combination, with a vehicle body, of a frame,

Copies of this patent may be obtained tor five cents each, by addressing the together with means for securing the same in position at the front of and a downwardly extending arm pivotally connected to the frame near the lower end thereof, the lower end of said curtain being journaled in the lower end of said arm, whereby said arm may be adjusted laterally with respect to said frame in a straight line parallel therewith and to a point within said frame.

6. In a storm front for vehicles, the combination, with a vehicle body, of a frame, together with means for securing the same in position at the front of said body, a curtain, and a downwardly extending arm pivotally connected to the frame near the lower end thereof, the lower end of said curtain being journaled in the lower end of said arm, whereby said arm may be adjusted laterally with respect to said frame in a straight line parallel therewith and to a point within said frame, and means for holding said arm in different positions of adjustment.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 23rd day of February 1911.

GEORGE W. SCOTT.

Witnesses: I

CHAs. I. WELoH, ELSA K. SMITH.

Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0.

said body, a curtain, 

